Wow. My earliest memories are also the two consecutive Preston matches, also in the S Africa Rd bank. The 2nd one was actually 1-3. I remember we equalised (Mike Keen) and having beaten Preston easily the week before the team obviously relaxed and we let in two. Gordon Macey's book confirms the details - crowd was slightly bigger than last Saturday! Knocked out in the first round - QPR traditions still run strong. Two things I also remember. First, all of the standing areas of the ground were accessible, so at H-T lots of fans swappped ends. That went I think the following year when we made the top division and hooliganism crept in. The other thing sounds bizarre in the days of smartphones etc: along the perimeter walls (Ellerslie Rd I think) the scores from other matches were posted up against letters of the alphabet. You had to match up the matches in the programme to work out which teams the scores referred to. I think this fell into dis-use shortly after, perhaps once we got a better PA system?
1-3 was it? Thanks M40R. I remember that black and silver programme, expecting another win and wandering back home feeling properly gutted! I thought it was 3rd round of the FA cup because it was pretty cold (although fairly bright) that day. Since we're going into details, d'you remember people used to get up the flood light pylons for a better view?!!
You are right BrixtonR. It was the 3rd Round in January but it was the first round that Rangers had to play that year. I do remember the flood light pylons - the barbed wire was quite high but oddly no-one seemed to ever fall off. My Dad would not let me climb them, so if we could not get at the front I used to sit on the crush barriers, with him keeping me balanced. It all seems prehistoric now. Health & Safety would go nuts. One thing missing now is that for the big matches you had to get in position at least 30 mins before kick-off, and could not move in case you lost your spot. The build-up atmosphere and banter was far better compared to now, when people mostly go to their seats at the last minute.
March 84 - Terry Venables at the Vic, 87 mins of boredom before a late Wilf Rostron header from a corner. 1-0 In the press conference Venables stated that QPR deserved a draw, Graham Taylor then read out the stats - "QPR had 0 shots on target, so derved to lose" Venables had no reply. Mar 05 - the Loft, I went to buy a coke, unscrewed the cap - no fizz. The drink was Best Before 6 months previous. Went back to the kiosk, all the drinks were seriously over date. You can buy them by the palet - they cost almost nothing, but QPR sell them for ã2 a go. That is what I call shady. Just like Luton, always cheating.
Ahh... takes you back though don't it Elixir69? Such wonderful memories! Almost romantic. Did that out of date drink inspire your choice of moniker?! Doubt the iffy stock was sold exclusively to the away fans. At LR we get our own back by publicly booing our chairman when the opportunity arises (like last Saturday)! Imagine everything's always cool at Watford though?
Here we go then........ My first memory, and I MEAN first memory, is of being held in my mother's arms as we went to visit my Great-Grandad, who lived next to the ground on the White City estate. I have very vivid memories of being able to see into the ground, and see people in blue and white. Having looked back through old footage, I can only guess that this is sometime in late 69/early 70, before the South Africa Road Stand had been built. I was born in May 69. Was this what really started me on the road? As my grandparents lived 1/2 mile away, on Bentworth Road, I was always there or thereabouts, and spent most of the 70's asking for a QPR shirt for Xmas and Birthdays....I never did get one....but as soon as my brother asked for an Arsenal shirt....What s'ya know! One appears!!! Anyhow. I remember August 75....Being on holiday at Leysdown (Isle of Sheppey!) and hurrying my family along, cos we had to get back for Match of the Day. You can tell we were on holiday, as I was allowed to stay up extra late, just to watch Gerry Francis score the goal of the season, on the FIRST day of the season! Talking of Preston....I remember seeing us play them in 79, i think, when we played out a 1-1 draw. However, my most treasured memory is this............. In 1982, we had been to the cup final, and lost, but that Xmas, we found ourselves at, or near, the top. Boxing Day was going to be the local derby....Chelsea were coming, and I wanted to go. Being 13 1/2, I figured that I'd be allowed to go by myself. However, my Mum had other ideas! My brother was being taken to Highbury, by my Dad, so I had no one to take me......Until my Grandad spoke up.... "I'll take him, Jean!" " No you won't, Dad....You're only saying that cos he's creating!" (Like being in Eastenders, aint it?) "I'll take him....The lad wants to go" "But Dad, you don't even LIKE the Rangers." (He WAS Fulham, through and through!) "No, Jean....I'm taking him, and that's all there is to it!" I never forgot what my grandad did for me, that day. He put behind him all the rivalries of West London to take his grandson to the game, and into the club shop after. 22 years later, when my son was born, there was really only ever going to be one name for him....Leonard....After his grandad!
Enjoyed that mango, got to see those people wearing blue and white over the road in the end then? Case of so near but so far away but made a true Ranger out you anyways! Sounds like where you were living on White City was about where I used to park my motorbike around 82/83. Hope you didn't mind! Is Leonard II an R, or Fulham like the original?
I started going in the mid 80s, aged 7. My dad grew up on the wormholt estate and just as his dad had taken him as a boy, so my old man followed suit. We lived in north London - muswell hill and everyone round my way were spurs and arsenal. In fact, I don't think I knew anyone who followed any other team. I never once questioned my footballing loyalties, whether that was because I believed you followed your dads team, or just because I was instantly hooked I'm not sure, bit of both probably. My first game was against Leicester and we won 1-0. Memories of the game elude me now but from then on, we went all the time, home and away. I remember strange things about it all, the smell of cigar smoke, seemingly all around, the old guys around us in f block of south Africa road, one of whom, Albert, a polish guy sharing his sweets out when we scored, the way the ball used to nestle in the net - differently to nowadays. A strong memory was when we would play 'big' teams at home, and the ground was full and I assumed 3 sides were full of QPR fans until the opposition scored and I would feel gutted to see substantial pockets of away fans cheering all over the ground. I hated that. I wanted more rangers fans, and more noise, I wanted my dad to take us into the loft to get amoungst the atmosphere- I've always been fascinated by crowd noise, attendances etc. One other early memory was the milk cup semi at anfield. We'd been to the home leg and decided to go to Liverpool for the 2nd on the spur of the moment. We drove up in my dads Granada Scorpio and the excitement was great. The thing was that shortly before, some business collegue of my dads had given me a Liverpool tracksuit and I didn't think it strange to wear it to the game!?! I know. Added to which we sat in the stand where the cameras are - ie, home stand, so I blended in ok - until we scored, or more precisely, until they scored for us - twice, and obviously both times I was on my feet cheering, to the total bemusement of the home fans nearby. My dad just made a few placatory gestures! I could go on, I've loved this, it's got me from south Kensington to bounds green, but I'll save it - and you - for another thread and another day. Laters you super.....
What a brilliant thread this is. Fantastic memories from all concerned! I've been trying to remember which was was my first away game. I think it was Arsenal at Highbury '68. We lost 2-1, and I think Alan Wilks scored our goal. Another memory from that day was the fact that it rained throughout the match, and as I was standing in the clock end with my fellow R's, which was uncovered, I got absolutely soaked!
Shame we can't get that on YouTube woody - red track suit at Anfield celebrating Rs goals! Brilliant image. Great stuff, wish you'd continued. Am I the only one feeding back on these stories? Never mind.
No I'm not! HE's here. Agree HE, best thread so far (love stories anyway - like woody loves crowds and noise!). Gonna really piss you off now HE. I was at that game too. You're right about the rain - and Wilksy. Came on as sub in the second half and scored with his first touch - a blistering shot into the top corner! (Sorry)
Nothing to be sorry about. Nice to know that there's someone as sad as me out there! Also confirmed that my mind hasn't completely gone, why I remember that rain I really do not know!
My son went to his first game on Easter Monday.... The pics of him in his Hooped shirt, sat in the Loft, are priceless to me. The unconfined joy on his face when Routs scored.....Seeing him jump up and punch the air..... He's a Ranger, all right! (But with ManUre leanings....Bloody school friends!! Lucky it aint Ipswich though!!)
I first became aware of QPR thanks to my older brother (I'll always be grateful!) and I supported them before I went to a game. My first game was my birthday party when I was young - must have been 7 or 8? I remember it well because at the end of the game all of my friends and my parents got up to leave and soon realised I hadn't left. I was still in my seat sobbing my heart out and when my Dad asked me why I was crying I said, "We lost and it wasn't as good as the telly." We had lost 2-1 to Barnsley and Rangers set me up to get used to what they do best - disappoint! But somehow I was hooked! And I've loved them ever since. My Dad wasn't an R at that point - he hated football. But it really wasn't long before he got nagged by me and my two brothers to take us more regularly and now he's the keenest of the bunch! He's mad QPR and he's making up for lost time. Edit; Just to prove the fragility of memory: My intrigue was roused as to when I went to that Barnsley game but I can't find any time we lost at home to Barnsley 2-1! Eek! Maybe it was 1999/00 when we drew 2-2? It's strange as I'm certain we lost at home, hence the crying. Maybe it was another team? I'll ask my Dad and post back.
we did this on the old 606, great memories, my 1st game was 1961 old 3rd div south was at Qpr leicester in league cup run 4 goals past the great Gordan Banks (he had back ache by the end) wembley league cup winners cryed me eyes out was wembley for fa cup final the replay lets not talk about 86 play off final , bloody vauxhall motors m9oney in buckets new manager every month and now back to the summit my son was born the year we were relegated and has only seen us in the lower reaches the futures bright the futures blue & white
queensparkrangers - your problems remembering the Barnsley score as a 7 or 8 year old is quite understandable. Mine at 15, front row against Leeds not so... went home happy with our 0-0 draw. Next morning wandering about on my paper round perusing the sports pages found out we'd lost 0-1! How and when that happened remains a mystery to this day... (?)
Think I must be the newest to the R's judging by this lot. My Dad has never been passionate about football but used to go down to Loftus Road when he was younger so he wanted me to support them as he couldn't cope with another Chelsea supporter (older sister). Anyway my first match was 2001/2 on my Mums birthday. It was QPR vs Tranmere Rovers and we lost 2-1 having been 1-0 thanks to a Stevie Palmer rocket before conceding two late on. I remember leaving the match confused as to why people were dissapointed as they'd watched a LIVE football match. At that point I caught the football bug big time and asked a family friend to take me to Tooting & Mitcham as it was the only place I could afford to go to. QPR bug officially caught at QPR vs Crewe. It was 0-0 and we had two men sent off but managed to secure play-offs. Never looked back since.
Hi new to the board so just adding my first experience....1977 home game against Spurs ...we won 2-1 and that's when I was introduced to the legend that is Stan Bowles...it was my first ever game which only came about because the vicar at our school knew Bill Dodgin who was either still at QPR or at Brentford...anyway we got tkts through him and a group of the school football team went...i was only 10 and remember being scared stiff on the way to the ground as I seemed to be the only Asian lad there, but after the game that was it...I was Stan Bowles on the footie pitch at school...since then they've been the only team for me !...
